Table of contents
- Latest Panera Charged Lemonade Lawsuit Updates
- March 13, 2026: Panera Launches Lower-Caffeine Energy Refreshers
- July 9, 2025: Panera Settles the Remaining Three Lawsuits
- October 7, 2024: First Settlement Reached with the Katz Family
- May 7, 2024: Panera Confirms Nationwide Phase-Out
- January 13, 2024: Lauren Skerritt Files a Lawsuit in Delaware
- December 4, 2023: Dennis Brown’s Family Files a Second Wrongful Death Suit
- October 31, 2023: Panera Adds Caffeine Warnings
- October 23, 2023: Sarah Katz’s Family Files the First Lawsuit
- What Is Panera Charged Lemonade?
- Who May Be Affected?
- Reported Injuries or Damages
- Recall and Regulatory Background
- Evidence to Preserve
- Filing Deadlines
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Panera Win the Charged Lemonade Lawsuit?
- What Is the Sarah Katz Caffeine Safety Act?
- How Much Caffeine Was in Panera Charged Lemonade?
- Did the FDA Investigate Sarah Katz’s Death?
Panera Charged Lemonade, a caffeinated drink with up to 390 milligrams of caffeine in a large, led to four injury lawsuits. Plaintiffs alleged it caused the deaths of Sarah Katz and Dennis Brown and heart injuries to two other people.
The four suits were individual cases, with no class action. Panera settled the Katz suit in October 2024. The Brown, Skerritt and Adams suits were dismissed with prejudice in July 2025.
Panera denied wrongdoing, and the settlement terms were not disclosed. It discontinued the drink nationwide in May 2024. No verdict was reached in any of the four suits.
Latest Panera Charged Lemonade Lawsuit Updates
March 13, 2026: Panera Launches Lower-Caffeine Energy Refreshers
Panera launched two caffeinated Energy Refreshers, its first energy drinks since the Charged Lemonade lawsuits, USA Today reported [1].
They hold 28 milligrams of caffeine in a 20-fluid-ounce cup and 42-44 milligrams in a 30-fluid-ounce cup. The new labels advise against use by children, pregnant or nursing women, and people sensitive to caffeine.
July 9, 2025: Panera Settles the Remaining Three Lawsuits
NBC News reported that Panera settled the three remaining Charged Lemonade lawsuits, brought by the Brown, Skerritt and Adams plaintiffs [2]. Court records listed the cases as dismissed with prejudice.
The plaintiffs’ attorney confirmed that “the matters have all been resolved.” The dismissals bar refiling in the same courts. The cases had previously been scheduled to go to trial.
October 7, 2024: First Settlement Reached with the Katz Family
USA Today reported that Panera reached the first settlement in the Charged Lemonade lawsuits, with the family of Sarah Katz [3]. The family’s attorney confirmed the deal.
The attorney could not give further details of the terms. The Katz case was the first of the four to end.
May 7, 2024: Panera Confirms Nationwide Phase-Out
A Panera spokesperson confirmed the chain was phasing out Charged Lemonade nationwide after a “recent menu transformation,” NBC News reported [4].
The company did not say whether the lawsuits caused the decision. The Katz, Brown and Skerritt suits had been filed by then.
January 13, 2024: Lauren Skerritt Files a Lawsuit in Delaware
Lauren Skerritt, 28, of Rhode Island filed a suit against Panera in Delaware, USA Today reported [5]. She alleged “permanent” heart injuries after drinking two and a half Charged Lemonades in April 2023.
Hers was the third suit against Panera, following the Katz suit in October 2023 and the Brown suit in December 2023.
December 4, 2023: Dennis Brown’s Family Files a Second Wrongful Death Suit
The family of Dennis Brown, 46, of Fleming Island, Florida, filed a second wrongful death suit in Delaware, NBC News reported [6].
The suit blamed Charged Lemonade for his death, after the Katz case was filed. Panera said it believed his death “was not caused by one of the company’s products.”
October 31, 2023: Panera Adds Caffeine Warnings
Panera strengthened its caffeine warnings for Charged Lemonade in its cafes, on its website and in its app. The company said it acted “out of an abundance of caution.”
Customers were advised to “use in moderation.” The drinks were “not recommended for children, people sensitive to caffeine, pregnant or nursing women.”
October 23, 2023: Sarah Katz’s Family Files the First Lawsuit
The family of Sarah Katz, 21, a University of Pennsylvania student, filed a wrongful death suit against Panera. It was filed in a Philadelphia County court, NBC News reported [7].
The suit alleged she suffered a fatal cardiac arrest after drinking a Charged Lemonade. It was the first of the four suits.
What Is Panera Charged Lemonade?
According to ABC News, Charged Lemonade is a line of caffeinated lemonade drinks that Panera Bread sold in three flavors [8]. Panera marketed it as a plant-based, “clean caffeine” instant energy drink from guarana and green coffee extract.
Panera introduced the line in 2022 and discontinued it nationwide in May 2024, after the first three suits were filed.
Who May Be Affected?
The reported cases involved customers who drank Charged Lemonade at Panera cafes. A purchase made while the drink was on the menu may matter.
Katz, who had QT syndrome type 1, drank one. Brown, who had high blood pressure, drank three. Skerritt, who had no underlying conditions, drank two and a half. Adams, 18, drank a large.
Several plaintiffs avoided caffeine because of heart or blood-pressure conditions. If you had a heart problem after drinking one, a legal review of your own facts can show whether you may have a claim.
Reported Injuries or Damages
The plaintiffs alleged fatal cardiac arrest in the Katz and Brown cases. NBC News reported that Brown’s death certificate lists cardiac arrest due to hypertensive disease. Skerritt alleged atrial fibrillation and permanent cardiac injuries, according to TODAY [9].
Adams alleged cardiac arrest that required resuscitation, with two seizures. These are complaint allegations, and Panera denied wrongdoing in court documents.
The complaints said Panera advertised the drink as “Plant-based and Clean with as much caffeine as our Dark Roast coffee.”
They said a large drink holds more caffeine than any size of Panera’s dark roast coffee. A large 30-ounce drink without ice held 390 milligrams. Panera later listed the large blood orange size with ice at 302 milligrams.
The FDA says 400 milligrams a day is an amount not generally associated with negative effects for most adults [10].
Recall and Regulatory Background
Panera removed Charged Lemonade from its self-serve fountains in January 2024. No FDA recall or regulator warning names the drink.
Evidence to Preserve
Keep these items after a reaction to a highly caffeinated drink:
- Receipts, app records, membership records or bank statements that show the Panera purchase and its date.
- Photos of the cup, the menu board and any signage or caffeine warning shown at the cafe.
- The date and location of the visit, written down as soon as you can after it.
- Medical records, emergency room and hospital records, and any death certificate related to the injury.
- Names and contact details of anyone who saw the visit or the symptoms.
- Messages or posts that describe your symptoms in the days that followed.
Filing Deadlines
Filing deadlines for injury and wrongful death claims come from state law. Your deadline depends on where you live and on when the injury or death and its cause were identified.
If a time limit passes, a claim may end for good, however strong the facts are. Please talk with a lawyer soon about the dates that apply to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Panera Win the Charged Lemonade Lawsuit?
Panera did not win the Charged Lemonade lawsuit at trial, and it did not lose one either. The cases settled and were dismissed with prejudice, and Panera denied wrongdoing in court documents.
What Is the Sarah Katz Caffeine Safety Act?
The Sarah Katz Caffeine Safety Act is a bill proposed in December 2024 by Rep. Rob Menendez of New Jersey. It would require chains to disclose on menus and drive-thru kiosks any product with 150 mg or more of caffeine. He reintroduced it in April 2025.
How Much Caffeine Was in Panera Charged Lemonade?
A regular 20-ounce Panera Charged Lemonade contained 260 milligrams of caffeine, ABC News reported. Panera’s own figures ranged from 155 to 302 milligrams by serving size and flavor, TODAY reported, while the 390 milligram figure was for a large drink without ice.
Did the FDA Investigate Sarah Katz’s Death?
The FDA said it was looking into Sarah Katz’s death after her family filed suit. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration made that statement to TODAY.com in October 2023.